More than 600 weapons confiscated during prison sweep in Atmore

The Alabama Department of Corrections announced a major sweep of Fountain Correctional facility near Atmore in the following press release:

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Ala. –More than 300 officials from local, county and state law enforcement agencies conducted a predawn operation to remove illegal contraband from the G.K. Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore on Monday.

The operation recovered 621 makeshift weapons, 51 contraband cellphones, 240 grams of synthetic drugs, and 7 gallons of an alcoholic beverage that inmate’s refer to as julep or pruno.

The Atmore, Bay Minette, and Brewton Police Departments, along with the Baldwin, Clarke and Escambia County Sherriff’s Offices, took part in the operation. Supporting state agencies included the Alabama Pardons and Paroles, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s K-9 unit, Alabama Emergency Management Agency, and the Alabama Department of Transportation.

The agencies conducted a complete sweep of the prison including dorms that house more than 1,230 inmates. Monday’s 10-hour operation was the sixth led by the Alabama Department of Corrections’ Operations and Investigations and Intelligence Divisions. The ADOC carried out the first major joint contraband operation at the St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville in February.

The public should contact the ADOC Investigations and Intelligence Division at 1-866-293-7799 with information that may lead to the arrest of anyone attempting to introduce illegal contraband into state prisons. The public may also report suspicious activity by going to the ADOC Website at http://www.doc.alabama.gov/investigationrequest

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